American Teacher

Got a match?For many teachers, the start of the school year is frustration-in triplicate.Student media consent forms, emergency contact cards, acknowledgment of school rules and procedures-the list of forms and paperwork that most teachers must complete...

Our country and our union are at a critical juncture. Together, we must continue to strengthen the AFT and its affiliates, ensure that all children have access to a first-rate public education, and win public recognition and support for the invaluable...

AFT leadership team vows to keep union strong and growingThe AFT biennial convention, held July 13-17 at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., and attended by more than 3,900 delegates and guests, launched a new era of AFT leadership....

Kerry calls for improving schools and keeping America secureSen. John Kerry delivered a passionate plea for AFT activists to join his fight for the presidency-an invitation that thousands of delegates gathered at the AFT convention seemed eager to hear.Chants...

Tips for involving parents* Veteran teachers have a message for colleagues who are trying to help students reach their learning potential without enlisting the help of their parents or guardians: Good luck. You're gonna need it.It's no accident that...

Convention also addresses healthcare and higher educationAFT convention delegates overwhelmingly adopted a resolution that sets out the union's action plan for fixing problems associated with the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB).The policy statement...

Proposed solutions mirror AFT recommendationsDiscipline problems in schools -especially disruptions by a small number of chronic troublemakers-continue to be a huge obstacle toward improving student achievement, according to a new report from Public...

Since April, the financial markets have been gyrating as everyone tries to factor in the effects higher interest rates will have on the economy. The Federal Reserve Board, which controls rates, finally acted in late June to boost rates by a quarter point.Given...

President Bush has been campaigning hard this summer, assuring people that "we've turned the corner," "the economy is strong" and "there are jobs available all across the country." It's unlikely that these stump lines left many public school employees...

Responding to the AFT leadership's call for increased financial controls, delegates approved several constitutional amendments that tighten affiliate and financial review requirements and allow an administrative takeover of a local in an emergency situation.Approved...

Conference focuses on political action, legislative prioritiesThe AFT continues to add more retirees to its membership rolls. Since the last retiree conference two years ago, the union has started new retiree chapters in Florida, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon...

Safe, secure schools are the issueYESI made a decision last April to insert a young police officer into a Massachusetts public high school in an undercover capacity. Although this decision was reached in cooperation with both the school principal and...

Organizing to defend public higher educationThink public education is under assault only in grades K-12? Not so: Higher education is facing major attacks as well. And in Washington and other states, faculty are forming unions to defend themselves.United...

'If I only knew then . . . 'It's often tempting for new teachers to dive right into lessons at the start of the new school year. But float this strategy past many experienced teachers, and the typical response is, "Been there, done that-and lived to...